NASLite Network Attached Storage

I just noticed that M2 is not retrieving the ID3 from a significant number of files in my library (about 1/3 of them). I currently have 6190 mp3s in my MEDIA folder. Could M2 be running out of RAM cache for the ID3 info? I currently have 256M in my box.

Scott,

It seems that the sweet spot for RAM with NASLite and M2 is about 512MB to 1GB. For the time being there is issues with more than that. I don't understand the reasons but I am hoping that with the update to the 2.6.xx kernel we should see a bit of performance improvement as well as better support for newer hardware.

I would try and get my box up to 1GB if it were me, 512MB at least.

Mike

Aggressive indexing is the heaviest in terms of resources. It takes a long time especially against a large library since it has to scan each file in full. The only benefit it may provides is that it'll attempt and do a better job of estimating the total time of variable bit-rate MP3s. Otherwise it is unnecessary. The rest of the indexing options do only the header and a few frames into the file.

Do you have the same problem with more relaxed indexing?

I just tried both fast and normal indexing with the same results.

I first noticed the problem after I updated the ID3 of some of my mp3s using a util called MediaRage. This is the same util I have used on most of my mp3s to add album art. I decided I wasn't using RSync or uPNP, so I turned them off and rebooted my box. After reboot and reindexing, the files I had updated were no longer showing ID3 info. These same files were updated using MediaRage before I had NL-M2 and showed all ID3 info when first loaded into my MEDIA folder. I loaded them into my iTunes library via AFP and the ID3 info showed normally. I then noticed that there were many more files that had valid ID3 info that were not showing the ID3. Album art shows in all of them. I can also load the files into WMP, Winamp and VLC via AFP and ID3 is read. It seems to be affecting the last 1/3 or so of the files that are indexed. I tried deleting the ID3 and rewriting, reloading the files from backup and reindexing several times. Even tried booting my M2 v1.00 copy and reindexing to check if it was a bug in 1.01. Nothing has worked.

I'm picking up a couple of 512M sticks this weekend. Perhaps that will make a difference?

Ok, this could be a problem with how M2 is exporting mp3s with album art. I just removed the album art from a folder of mp3s and the ID3 info reappeared. The folder was CD 2 of Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies Extended Edition. CD 1 was unaffected. I added the album art to both CD 1 and 2 at the same time using the same utility (MediaRage). In fact, all of the album art in my mp3 collection was added using MediaRage. Some are showing ID3 info, but some are not. Alice Cooper BDB CD 1 still has the album art embedded in the mp3s and shows all ID3 info normally. The album art in the mp3s that are not showing ID3 still shows in the album art pane.

After writing the preceding paragraph, I decided to do some fiddling with the MediaRage data changer. The problem was caused by the ID3 version. I rolled back the version to v2.2.0 (I think it was v2.4.0, but I have no way to retrieve the version number) and my ID3 reappeared along with the Album art. Apparently M2 doesn't support ID3 v2.4.0, but I can live with that. I am rolling back all of my mp3s to v2.2.0.

Thanks for your replies.

My hat's off to you sir. That's info I can use

Thanks for the info Scott. That may need some attention before next release.

I still have a few mp3s that, despite fiddling, will not show ID3 via DAAP. These even defy removal of the album art. I don't know if the ID3 has been corrupted or what. I'll keep messing with them and see if I can find another cause.